'Jungle Safari' suspended for next 5 days

Darjeeling: Jungle Safari has been suspended for the next five days as part of security measures following the sighting of a Royal Bengal Tiger at the Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR.) The tiger was captured on camera trap twice.

At around 12:02 pm on Friday the tiger had been captured in a camera trap. Exactly three hours after that the tiger was captured again in another camera trap located 2 km away from the first one. Finally a Royal Bengal has been sighted at Buxa.

According to retired forest personnel the last time a tiger had been sighted was in 1983. Following that even during tiger census Tigers could not be spotted. This gave rise to a belief that there are no tigers in Buxa.

Four years ago the National Tiger Conservation Authority had even questioned the justification of Buxa Tiger Reserve when there were no tigers. They even cut down on fundings.

All this is set to change with the sighting of the tiger. The Forest department has adopted a number of measures following the sighting.

"More trap cameras have been put up in the area where the tiger has been sighted," stated Buddha Raj Sewa, Director, Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR.)

There are 150 trap cameras at the BTR. Another 70 are being brought in from Jaldapara National Park.

Forest villagers and others are being sensitised by Joint Forest Committees. Two squads of the two divisions are keeping a round the clock vigil. "For the next five days jungle safari has been suspended" added the Director.

Meanwhile, the carcass of an adult Himalayan Black Bear was recovered from Makrapara in the Alipurduar district on Sunday.